Does anyone have systems lit by sunlight in BC?

[MKLKT]

My tank is essentially back-lit with natural sunlight for a few hours during the day. Doesn't contribute nuisance algae, but it hasn't had an appreciable effect on coral growth that I can tell. You'd need the light to probably come from straight above to be most effective/not passing through glass if possible to avoid it filtering.

[TimT]

I've had tanks in a Greenhouse from 2000 to 2005, then in 2005 I moved into a large shop with 4'w x 5'h south facing windows. Half of the tank now gets direct sunlight all day. I supplement the tank with 800watt of 20k radium. When the sun is shining it totally eliminates the halides. Even a cloudy day overpowers the halides. SPS grows fast but not too colourful. Zoos and Paly's do well, I have Fungia, Echinophyllia, Trachyphyllia, Duncanopsammia in the sunlit area as well.

Do be concerned about macro algae as it grows so fast it strips the CO2 out of the water.

[Ryan7]

I will get some pics soon for those interested.

[mike31154]

Interested for sure. Plenty of sun in the Okanagan in the summer time. No good for winter maybe, but any supplementation should be a good thing. Can't get more natural than natural. I've been contemplating a Sola Tube or two.

[Lampshade]

I've looked a lot at those light tunnel things, seems like it could be doable. You are pretty much focusing the light. would be interesting on a bigger scale.http://www.velux.ca/consumer/product...nel_skylights/

but... solar power LED system might be cheaper:P

[KevinK]

Originally Posted by Lampshade

I've looked a lot at those light tunnel things, seems like it could be doable. You are pretty much focusing the light. would be interesting on a bigger scale.http://www.velux.ca/consumer/product...nel_skylights/

but... solar power LED system might be cheaper:P

solar power LED is still at the $$$, I'm slowly converting my tank to solar

se pumps, when buying the right once only consume lets say 15W each x 5 = 75w a houre = 1.8 KWH a day

a 500 watt pannel will on avarage produce 3.7 times its wattage, so 1.85 KWH a day ore 485 KWH a year.

now the thing is that this is a avarage, and duuring peek season it is pushing 5.8 KWH, but in the 4 winter months in Victoria it might only be 1.7 kwH.

in order to run a tank, you need $$$$ to get all solar as a 500W kit already will run you about $2.500

and gust for fun:

a 200 LED tank at 8 houre lights on = 4.8 KWH at $2.500 for 500W this will be $24.000

ohhh and no battery yet inclouded

and if hydro would be $ 0.10 a kwh, than a 500W system of $2.500 would take you 51 years to pay back, and than still, NO battery.

this is where I would say, things in the world still need to change a bit

if the price development of solar would be the same as LED, than you would se the price go way down for solar, but no
a CREE LED was 2 years ago $9.00, now when keeping your eyes open, you could get them for $ 3.70

solar is now as pricy as it was 5 years ago, so unless there are grants, ther are no savings, exept your pride of making a change




on the end, if the tubes could work, only if it was to light 50% of your tank, than you save already big time as 2x 12 inch solar tubes willl run you about $500, replacing 2- 250W MH at 8 houre it is 4 kwh x 364 x 0.10 a kwh = $145 saved a year, payback = 3 1/2 year not considdering the saving on bulbs, so maybe a 3 MH with 2 solar tubes is interesting

[mike31154]

Won't be too long and the payback will be faster. BC Hydro is on the prowl to crank up rates. Once all the smart meters are installed, they will also be looking to bring in tiered rates, charging more for daytime KWh, so those of us running the big lights during the day (which probably most of us do) will take an extra hit. Retailers & gov'ts are really dragging their feet with regard to promoting LED lighting for home use. Seems they're hanging on to the CFL schtick, which when you think about the huge numbers of fluorescents out there now, with the mercury in them, is really not a good thing. I guess it's not that much mercury in each bulb, but as heavy metals go, mercury is one of the most evil as far as health concerns go, and it does add up.